82 INTRODUCTION. 



are most exposed to friction. The little dwelling is 

 now complete, but continues attached to the spot 

 where it was formed. In order to disengage it, the 

 insect puts out the anterior part of its body, and 

 fixing its fore-legs to the leaf, drags the case for- 

 wards, retaining its hold of it chiefly by the small 

 hooks on the abdominal legs. It is now in a con- 

 dition to transport itself from one leaf to another, 

 and select the portions best suited to its taste, 

 without incurring the risk, which it seems so much 

 to dread, of exposing itself to the air. 



Apparently with the view of saving themselves 

 the labour of sewing up one of the sides of their 

 domicile, some of these creatures have the sagacity 

 to mine the leaf close to one of the edges, and thus 

 preserve the membrane unbroken on three of its 

 sides. " Their proceedings," says one of the authors 

 of the Introduction to Entomology, " I had the 

 pleasure of witnessing a short time since upon the 

 alders in the Hull Botanic Garden. More ingenious 

 than their brethren, and willing to save the labour 

 of sewing up two sides in their dwellings, they 

 insinuate themselves near the edge of a leaf instead 

 of in its middle. Here they form their excavation, 

 mining into the very crenatures between the two 

 surfaces of the leaf, which, being joined together 

 at the edge, there form one seam of the case ; and 

 from their dentated figure, give it a very singular 

 appearance, not unlike that of some fishes which 

 have fins on their backs. The opposite side they 



